{"title":"Momento Wines | Bot River","description":"\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0106\/1539\/0266\/files\/Collection_Banner_4c7d937a-c0b2-4489-8fe7-ef0cc9d2f895.jpg?v=1533059122\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBorn from a passion for Mediterranean varieties and old-vine fruit, Momento is the solo project from dynamic winemaker Marelise Niemann. Marelise honed her craft at Beaumont Family Wines from 2007 to 2014, sharing cellar space with Crystallum’s Peter-Allan Finlayson and Thorne \u0026amp; Daughters’ John Thorne-Seccombe. She also worked extensively in California, the Rhône, Burgundy, and Portugal. Her fascination with Grenache was sparked in 2010 while in Priorat, where, together with winemaker Eben Sadie, she was impressed by the vibrant fruit produced by old vines. Returning to South Africa, she sought out parcels of old vine Grenache to make her own elegant and soulful wines. In 2023, she was named Tim Atkin’s ‘Young Winemaker of the Year’ in recognition of her work.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMarelise champions grape varieties that express their site and flourish in South Africa’s warm, dry climate. Fruit for Momento is sourced from vineyards in the Swartland and Bot River. The Swartland’s low rainfall, combined with decomposed granite soils, produces wines with richness and depth. In Bot River, the cooling Atlantic influence, coupled with shale and clay soils, contributes to the precise fruit and elegant texture of these wines.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMarelise’s winemaking is minimalist, utilising indigenous yeast barrel fermentations, old basket presses, manual punch downs and maturation in old French oak to preserve a profound purity of fruit. The Momento Chenin Blanc\/Verdelho combines generous fruit and mouthfeel with Verdelho’s zesty acidity. It has notes of jasmine, lemon rind and wet stone. The Grenache Blanc is cold-soaked on skins for three days before fermentation, imparting a pithy texture and saline focus, which complements the wine’s crisp fruit profile. The Grenache Gris is sourced from the only vineyard of this variety in South Africa. Copper-skinned and planted on decomposed granite and clay, it displays a waxy mouthfeel, exotic fruit and a savoury, herbal edge. The Grenache is grown on decomposed granite soils and produced using 30% whole-bunch fermentation, giving delicate aromas of rose, wild strawberry and fynbos, coupled with racy acidity and a savoury finish. The Tinta Barocca is made in a style akin to premium Pinot Noir. It has a tightly wound core and complex aromas of berries, cassis and porcini.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\" class=\"c1\"\u003eMOMENTO WINES\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.momentowines.co.za\/\" title=\"The official website of Momento Wines\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0106\/1539\/0266\/files\/desktop_icon_cd1f9a91-a06b-4665-880d-cc47c0dde6d7_480x480.jpg?v=1588261941\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"momento-chenin-blanc-verdelho","title":"Momento Chenin Blanc Verdelho 2022","description":"\u003cp\u003eFor Marelise, Chenin Blanc without Verdelho is like dancing without music. Verdelho adds the zing and zest to this blend, giving it that extra twist of freshness, energy and rhythm. The Chenin Blanc grapes come from 40-year-old, dry farmed bush vines in the Swartland and a 36-year-old vineyard in Bot River called ‘Langbene’ (Long legs) named after the vines’ extremely long trunks. The Verdelho grapes come from a vineyard in Voor-Paardeberg planted on decomposed granite and clay, as well as a vineyard in Bot River grown on Bokkeveld shale. Marelise employs a minimalist approach in the cellar to ensure the purest expression of vineyard and variety. The grapes were gently whole bunch basket-pressed. Fermentation took place in 225 and 400 litre old French oak barrels using indigenous yeasts. Some of the fine lees was added back to the juice in barrel to allow for more complex characters and textures to develop. The wine was aged for 10 months in barrel following 100% malolactic fermentation, and bottled without fining. Aromas of quince, white peach and grapefruit rind alongside notes of hay, oatmeal and a wet stone minerality adding freshness and focus. The palate reveals further notes of crunchy green apple, adding freshness and precision from the Verdelho component, leading to a long and precise finish that is dry and pithy.[#intro]The addition of Verdelho adds zing \u0026amp; zest and an extra twist of freshness...[\/intro]\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Momento","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40394510041155,"sku":"A22MOMENTOCHENINVERDELHO","price":29.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0106\/1539\/0266\/products\/C_VBottle.jpg?v=1675969045"},{"product_id":"momento-grenache-gris","title":"Momento Grenache Gris 2023","description":"\u003cp\u003eFruit for the Momento Grenache Gris is sourced from the only Grenache Gris vineyard in South Africa. First things first; this is not a Rosé. It might look like a pale sunset in the glass, but this is a serious, structural white wine that just happens to wear a copper jacket. Because the grape skins are naturally pinkish-grey, and Marelise leaves them in contact with the juice for 7 days, the wine picks up a stunning onion-skin glow and a gritty, tannic texture that most white wines can only dream of. An exotic and alluring wine with aromas of strawberries, rhubarb, almond biscotti and orange rind, cut with a savoury, herbal edge. On the palate there is great tension between the vibrant primary fruit and crisp acidity, alongside the wine’s rich and waxy mouthfeel. The finish is long and complex, with hints of grapefruit pith and rose. It looks delicate, but it drinks with the weight and power of a light red. It is the perfect \"Bridge Wine\" for the adventurous drinker who is bored of Sauvignon Blanc.[#intro]A copper-hued cult classic; waxy, saline \u0026amp; savoury. The ultimate textural white from Marelise Niemann...[\/intro]\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Momento","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57695389221245,"sku":"A23MOMENTOGRENACHEGRIS-1","price":29.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0106\/1539\/0266\/files\/GrenacheGrisBT.jpg?v=1768133432"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0106\/1539\/0266\/collections\/Collection_Image_1c0ebf76-8381-4e63-9ebc-1fb801a97a15.jpg?v=1533058327","url":"https:\/\/hic.wine\/collections\/momento-wines-bot-river.oembed","provider":"Hic!","version":"1.0","type":"link"}